Exercising-machine



(No Model.)

0. M. BARTHOLOMEW.

EXERGISING MACHINE.v

No. 387,845. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

N PETERS. PhuloLi'iMgnpho UNITED STATES PATENr lASSIUS M. BARTHOLOMEWV, OF NEW'ARK, OHIO.

EXERCISING-MACHINE.

$PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,845, dated August 14, 1888.

(No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CASSIUS M. BARTHOLO- MEW,a citizen of the United Statesand aresident of Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l lxercising-lllachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved exercising machine, showing it in position upon a track; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in both the figures.

My invention has relation to exercisingmachines adapted more especially for the use of children; and it consistsin the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A denotesa track hinged atits middle,and which, when not in use, may be folded so as to occupy but a small space. A carriage, B, having flanged wheels B, travels upon the said track, and is provided at its forward body portion with a foot-rest, G, and at its rearportion with a removably and adj ustably secured seat, 0, the side pieces of which are provided with downwardly-projecting tenons G, (shown in Fig. 2 in dotted lines,) which are secured in apertures E upon each side of the carriage.

G indicates two brackets secured to the for ward edge of the carriage-body, and to each bracket are journaled two pulleys, H, one in front of the other. Two cords, I, are secured to the ends of one of the ties J of the track and pass up between the pulleys upon each side of the carriage and are provided with handpieces K. This tie .T is secured to the track near the middle or hinged portion, and has its ends projecting beyond the sides of the track, so that when the ends of the cords I I are secured to it they will be in substantially the same vertical plane with the pulleys, so that as the carriage passes from one end of the track to the other the cords will pass between the pulleys H H in the brackets G without the possibility of their'running off the pulleys and catching or binding in the brackets. By securing the ends of the cords to the track about midway of its length the cords need only be free ends reach to either end of the track and enable the person on the carriage to operate it in either direction by pulling in the same direction upon the cords above the pulleys at the front of the carriage. In this manner the carriage can be operated from any portion of the track, except when the pulleys upon the carriage are directly over the point at which the cords are secured, and be driven in either direction by the application of the force in only one direction that is, by pulling the free ends of the cords rearward or toward the up erator.

The operation of my invention is as follows: After the seat has been adjusted to accommodate the size of the child and the carriage is placed on the track near one end, the handpieces are then grasped in each hand and drawn rearward, which forces the carriage forward with suflicient momentum to carry it past the points of attachment of the operatingcords and to the other end of the track when a backward motion is imparted to the carriage by drawing the operating-cords in the same manner as above described.

If the momentum of the carriage should beso great as to cause it to run otf the end of the track if not checked in time, all that is necessary to check and stop it is to gradually decrease the movement ofthe carriage as it nears the end of the track by drawing back upon the free ends of the cords with sufficient force to stop the carriage. In this manner the carriage can be driven with considerable speed along the track, which increases the pleasure of usi ng the machine and also gives the longest possible ride, and at the same time calls into use the muscles of the body,as it requires the operator to lean backward or forward to operate the carriage or to stop it, thus giving the best possible results as an exercising-machine, as well as avery great deal of pleasure in using the device.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

Although throughout the specification 1 half as long as the track and still have thehave described this device as an exercisingmachine for children, it is obvious that when constructed on a large scale it is well adapted for adults. It possesses all the exercising features of a row-boat, thus enabling those who desire to learn to row and to obtain more exercise than they naturally would outdoors an opportunity of doing so, and at the same time improving their muscles and enjoying the pleasures of a ride.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim-- l. The combination, with a track, ofa car riage, and operating-cords secured to the track about midway of its length and adapted to engage With the carriage with their free ends, said cords being substantially one-half the length of the track, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a horizontal track,

of a tie secured thereto, the ends of which project beyond the sides of the track, two pulleys secured upon each side of the carriage, one in front of the other, and an operating-cord secured to each end of the tie and passed between the pulleys upon the carriage, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a track hinged at its middle,of a carriage, and operating-cords secured to the track near the hinged portion and adapted to engage with the carriage, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OASSIUS M. BARTHOLOMEW.

"Witnesses:

VVILLIAM H. DARLINGTON, WILLIAM NEWKIRK. 

